Fabric cutter guard



Feb. 10, 1953 Tc 2,627,657

FABRIC CUTTER GUARD Filed Aug. 2'7, 1951 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRIC CUTTER GUARDFred L. Etchen, Detroit, Mich., assignor to L. A. Young Spring & WireCorporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan ApplicationAugust 27, 1951, Serial No. 243,777

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fabric cutter guards.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide guards for fabric cutters of the type which aretranslated over the work on which the pattern has been marked oroutlined or superimposed.

Second, to provide a fabric cutter of this type with an effective guardwhich permits vision of the cutter and the work as the cutter istranslated over the work.

Third, to provide a fabric cutter in which the guard may be adjusted toand from the shoe and also tiltingly adjusted.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in theclaims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in

which: 7

Fig. l is a perspective view of a cutter embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the guard removed from the cutter, thesupporting post being shown in sections.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the relation ofthe guard to the motor housing on which it is rrounted.

Fig. 4. is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section showingstructural details of the guard.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises a shoe I adapted tobe translated over the work, rollers 2 being conventionally illustrated.The shoe is provided with a slot 3 through which the cutter disc dprojects. The upright 5 is of forwardly facing U or channel section andis fixedly secured to the shoe and provided with a rearwardly projectinghandle 6 by which the cutter is manipulated. The motor is designatedgenerally by the numeral 1 and is carried by the upright, details of themounting not being illustrated or the driving connection with the cutterdisc. These parts are conventional and form no part of my inventionexcept in combination with other parts.

The embodiment of the cutter guard of my invention illustrated comprisesa bottom guard plate 8 which is slotted at 8| to embrace or receive thecutter disc l and the upright 5. The guard plate projects a substantialdistance at the front of the cutter disc. Side guard plates 9 aredisposed upon and secured to the bottom guard plate 8 as by means of thescrews Ill inserted from the under side of the bottom guard plate. Theside guard plates are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the bottomguard plate. These sideguard plates overlap portions of the upright 5and project forwardly beyond the cutter disc. A post I I is secured tothe bottom guard plate as by the screw I2 to project upwardly in arearwardly inclined relation to the bottom guard plate and between thefront edges of the side guard plates. This post is in alignment with thecutter disc and constitutes a front guard element therefor.

This guard is mounted for vertical and tilting adjustment by means ofbrackets I3and I4 which have opposed recesses I5 and I6, respectively;toreceive the downward extension H on the motor housing. The brackets I3and I4 are secured to the under side of the housing by screws I 8received in the holes I9 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The brackets I3 and I4have depending arms 20 provided with longitudinal slots 2| receiving thescrews 22 engaging the side plates of the guard. A further support isprovided in the adjustable bracket 23 secured to the housing to projectforwardly therefrom, the bracket including a tiltingly adjustable member24 having a slot 25 therein receiving the screw 26 by means of which thepost is clamped to the bracket. This permits vertical and tiltingadjustment of the guard relative to the cutter disc.

The guard plates 8 and 9 are formed of transparent material such, forexample, as the material commercially known as plexiglas so they do notobstruct vision of the shoe. or the cutter disc or of the work whichcommonly has a pattern outlined or superimposed thereon or is providedwith some other means indicating the cutting lines. Usuallyseverallayers of fabric to be out are disposed in superimposed relation.The adjustability of the guard permits adaptation to difierent cuttersor to meet the particular requirements of the user. The cutter disciseffectively guarded but at the same time the View is not obstructed.If desired, the forwardly projecting end of the guard base plate 8 maybe grasped to assist in guiding the cutter and at the same time thecutter disc is effectively guarded.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practicalembodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe otherembodiments or adaptations to particular cutters as it is believed thatthis disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adaptmy invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a fabric cutter including a shoe, an upright onsaid shoe, a motor including a housing carried by said shoe and a disccutter having driving connection with said motor and disposed at thefront of said upright with its rear edge guarded thereby, of a cutterguard comprising a bottom guard plate slotted to receive said cutterdisc and upright and projecting forwardly beyond the cutter disc,laterally spaced side guard plates disposed on opposite sides of thecutter with their bottom edges secured to thebottom guard plate and withtheir front edges projecting forwardly beyond the cutter disc, bracketscarried by said upright and having vertically slotted arms disposed onthe outer sides of said side guard plates, screws engaging said slotsfor adjustably supporting said side guard plates, a post on said bottomguard plate disposed at the front of said cutter disc and between saidside guard plates, a slotted bracket mounted on said motor housingv toproject forwardly therefrom, and a screw engaging said slot foradiustably securing said post to said bracket, said guard mountingpermitting vertical and tilting adjustment of the guard relative to thecutter disc, said bottom and side guard plates being of transparentmaterial permitting vision of the cutter disc and the shoe andfacilitating the manipulation of the cutter upon the work.

2. In combination with a fabric cutter including'a shoe, an upright onsaid shoe, a motor including a housing supported by said shoe and adisc"- cutter having driving connection with said motor and disposed atthe front of said upright with its rear edge guarded thereby, of acutter guard comprising a bottom guard plate slot-ted to receive saidcutter disc and upright and projecting forwardly beyond the cutter disc,laterally spaced side guard plates disposed on opposite sides of thecutter with their bottom edges secured to the bottom guard plate andwith their front edges projecting forwardly beyond the cutter disc,brackets supported by said upright and havingv vertically slotted armsdisposed on the outer sides of said side guard lates, screws engagingsaid slots for adjustably supporting said side guard plates, said guardmounting permitting vertical and tilting adjustment of the guardrelative to the cutter disc, said bottom and side guard plates being oftransparent material permitting vision of the cutter disc and the shoeand facilitating the manipulation of the cutter upon the work.

3. In combination with a fabric cutter including a shoe, an upright onsaid shoe of forwardly facing U section provided with a handle, a motorincluding a housing, carried by said upright and a disc cutter havingdriving connection with said motor and disposed at the front of. saidupright with its rear edge guarded thereby, of a cutter guard comprisinga bottom guard plate slotted to receive said cutter disc and upright andprojecting forwardly beyond the cutter disc, and laterally spaced sideguard plates disposed on opposite sides of the cutter with their bottomedges upon and secured to the bottom guard plate and with their rearedges overlapping the said upright and. their front edges projectingforwardly beyond the cutter, said motor housing having guard supportingbrackets thereon, said bottom and side guard plates being of transparentmaterial permittingv vision of the cutter disc and the shoe andfacilitating the manipulation of they cutter uponthe work.

4. In combination with a fabric cutter including a. shoe, an upright onsaid shoe, a motor including a housing supported by said shoe and a disccutter having driving connection with said motor and disposed at thefront of said upright with its rear edge guarded thereby, of a cutterguard supported by said upright and comprising a bottom guard plateslotted to receive said outter disc and upright and projecting forwardlybeyond the cutter disc, and laterally spaced side guard plates disposedon opposite sides of the cutter with their bottom edges secured to thebottom guard plate and with their front edges projecting forwardlybeyond the cutter, said bottom and side guard plates being oftransparent material permitting vision of the cutter disc and the shoeand facilitating the manipulation of the cutter upon the work.

5. In combination with a fabric cutter including a shoe, a rotatablymounted cutter disc and a driving motor therefor supported by the shoe,of a cutter guard supported by the shoe comprising a bottom plateslotted to receive the cutter disc, and side: plates disposed, onopposite sides of the disc, said guard being mounted. for vertical andtilting adjustment relative to the cutter disc, said bottom and sideguard plates being of transparent material permitting the Work and therelation. of the cutter thereto to be viewed through the guard.

6. In combination with a fabric cutter including a shoe, a rotatablymounted cutter disk and a driving motor therefor supported by the shoe,of a cutter guard supported by the shoe comprising a bottom plateslotted to receive the cutter disc, and side plates disposed on oppositesides of the disc, said bottom and side guard plates being oftransparent material permitting the work and the relation of the cutterthereto to be viewed through the guard.

FRED L. ETCHEN.

No references cited.

